July 27, 2009

What’s the difference between me and you

I don’t know anyone who believes Obama isn’t an American. I keep being told these people exist, mostly by press mocking them on TV, but I know many, many Republicans and not a birther among them.

Like every single conservative publication, I think there’s nothing to the story at all. But the treatment of this conspiracy theory is kind of different than all conspiracy theories involving Bush which were investigated in a very sober tone by Dan Rather and people like him.

Yes, Obama is an American, but if the press was actually fair and did their job, it is unlikely that there would even be a birther movement at all. Just a thought.

Yeah, I believe that Barack Obama qualifies as a natural-born citizen and is, sadly, perfectly eligible to be holding his office.
However, the bizarre demonization of those advocating for the release of his birth certificate, especially from critics on the right, is making me a fervent anti-anti-birther.
I heard Hugh Hewitt and James Lileks snickering about this on Hewitt’s radio show last week. Lileks, who I generally adore, put forward with a straight face that one good reason why Obama’s birth certificate shouldn’t be made public is because of the threat of identity theft.
Identity theft!

I think the birthers damage Republicanism. That said, I don’t know any either. I didn’t know anyone who thought the Clintons hired a hitman either.

Posted by: Norm Deplume at July 27, 2009 at 6:31 pm

Well I’m glad every single conservative publication agrees with Karol that Obama was born down in a dead man’s town. The problem is that the GOP talking heads from Hannity to Rush (hell even the American Spectator has taken Rush to task on this one) have given this story legitimacy and a hell of a lot more people listen to them than read NR or the Weekly Standard.

Posted by: Von Bek at July 28, 2009 at 8:25 am

The problem with Republicans, and yes even you with your comments here, is that Obama HAS shown his birth certificate. Nobody anywhere gets their original birth certificate. You get a certified copy of it, which is exactly what Obama has shown. That is the copy that Hawaii gives out. Even the Hawaiian Governor, a Republican, has experessed disgust at the way Obama is being treated. The whole state is fed up with the birther BS, and people like you who say he hasn’t shown his BC. He’s shown it, and you guys all called it a fake, or not enough. You nuts.

Posted by: Ted Rhapsody at July 28, 2009 at 11:45 pm

If the Clintons had a hitman on retainer, do you really think Monica Lewinsky would be a successful handbag designer right now?